Carrier for photographic backgrounds



J. L. MACAVOY- CARRIER FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC BACKGROUNDS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC .17, I921.

Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

isgvmel J XZZ QZZQ fluoww JOSEPHINE L. IMACAVOY, 0F BUGKHANNON, NEST VIRGINIA.

CARRIER FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC BACKGROUNDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apra 11, 19221,

Application filed December 17, 1921. $eria1 No. 523,098.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrr-Imn L. MAoAvoY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buckhannon, in the county of Upshur and State of West Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Carriers for Photographic Backgrounds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to carriers for photographic back rounds and has for its principal object the provision of a portable and knockdown carrier adapted for the selective display of any one of a plurality of backgrounds'which may be arranged on self-raising rollers, and to the arrangement in a series of planes, extending in a depth direction, of means for supporting actual draperies or curtains which may likewise be selectively utilized either singly or in any order of combination Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

The invention will first be hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which constitute part of this specification, and then more specifically defined in the claims at the end of the description.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the carrier with the dust canopy raised above its normal position.

Figure 2 is a detailed front view of one of the end standards.

Figure 3 is an end view in cross section of the carrier. c

Figure 4: is a detailed viewof the rod which joins the end standards at the base.

Figures 5 and 6 are detail views of the transverse rods carried at the upper ends of the end standards.

Referring in detail to the several figures the numeral 1 represents my improved carrier for photographic. backgrounds which comprises two end standards 2 and 3 each of which is joined at its base to a transverse member 4 by means of a treaded coupling 5. i in a vertical position from the transverse member 4 by means of the inclined braces 6 which are riveted or bolted thereto and to the opposite ends of the said transverse Each of the standards is braced members. Elbow couplings 7 are threaded to the outer ends of the transverse members, pointing downward, and are fitted with suitable castors 8. The standards 2 and 3 are connected at the base by the rod 9 which is provided with right and left hand threads at its respective ends 10 and 11 as shown in- Figure 4: by means of which it may be simultaneously screwed into sockets 12 and 13 which are formed on the couplings 5. At the top each standard is provided with a T coupling 14, a slight distance below its upper end, and said T couplings are connected to the ends of the rod 15' which is of the same length as the rod 9 and similarly provided at its ends with right and left hand screw-threads.

Removably securable to the extreme upper ends of the standards 2 and 3 is a frame 16 comprising transverse members 17 and 18 and longitudinal members 19 and 20 connected together by pipe couplings 21 to form a rectangular construction. Midway of their ends the transverse members 17 and 18 are provided with T couplings 22 having the threads reamed away from the lower openings thereof in order that said T couplings will fit down freely over the upper ends of the standards 2 and 8. A set-screw 23 is provided for each T coupling so that when the frame 16 is in place on top of the standards 2 and 3 the set-screws may be tightened and the frame held rigidly in place.

A dust canopy 24, which is rectangular in shape and has downwardly extending sides 25 and 26, is provided, which in its normal position rests down upon the frame 16.

' The structure thus far described is readily demountable and may be packed flat when not in use. To take it apart it is only neces sary to raise and remove the dust canopy loosen the set-screws 23 and remove the frame from the standards and turn the rods 15 and 9 by hand in a direction to simultaneously unthread the ends thereof from the couplings with which they are connected. The two standards, the two rods 15 and 19 and the frame may then if desired be laid away one upon another in a package having but a few inches of thickness.

The transverse member 17 is provided on its inner side with a plurality of round holes and the transverse member 18 on its inner side with corresponding notches, said holes and notches being adapted to function with the opposite ends of rollers 27 of the ordinary spring winding type. In the present case provision is made for four such rollers, on each of which may be mounted a sheet 28 of scenery or other background which may be selectively pulled down into view or withdrawn from the field of view by the spring rollers.

The rods 15, 19.and 20 provide means on which may be hung curtains, lattice or other forms of actual drapery 29 and for this purpose said rods are provided as shown in Figures 1 and 8 with curtain rings 30' or other slidable' curtain fasteners. This construction makes available the use of a plurality of actual draperies in planes lying in a depth direction with reference to a camera placed in front of the carrier, and the selective use in combination therewith of any one of a plurality of backgrounds paintedon a single plane surface.

Not only is the device herein described advantageous from its mechanical simplicity and convenience of storage but from the op portunity which it affords to obtain realistic effects in the arrangement of backgrounds.

"Obviously, changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention andl do not wish to limit myself to any particular form or arrangement of parts.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

'1. A, carrier for photographic backgrounds comprising a frame, a plurality of rotatable and stationary members supported by said frame in parallelism in a depth direction, background material adjustable in a height direction and background material slidable in a width direction carried by said rotatable and stationary members respectively.

2. A carrier for photographic backgrounds comprising a rectangular frame having longitudinal rods connected at their ends by transverse members, one of said members being provided with notches and the other with bearing apertures.corresponding in number and position with said notches, said bearing apertures and notches being for the support of spring rollers, and. said'rods being for the support of drapery.

3. A carrier for photographic backgrounds comprising .a rectangular frame having longitudinal rods connected at their ends by transverse members, one of, said transverse members being provided with a plurality of notches for engaging the spring ends of spring rollers, the'other of said transverse members beingprovi'ded with a plurality of bearing apertures for journal-. ling the opposite-ends of said spring rollers, T couplings secured to said transverse members intermediate their ends and vertical standards upon which said T couplings are supported.

4. A' carrier for photographic backgrounds comprising a rectangular frame having longitudinal rods connected at the r ends by transverse members, one Of SQJCl transverse members being provided wlth a plurality of notchesfor engaging the sprlng ends of spring rollers the other of sald transverse members being provided with a plu rality of bearing apertures for journallm-g the opposite ends of said spring rollers, T

couplings secured to said transverse members intermediate their ends, vertical standards upon which said T couplings are supported and means for securlng said T couplings upon said standards.

' 5. A carrier for photographic backgrounds comprising a rectangular frame having longitudinal rods connected at them ends by transverse members, one of said members being provided with notches for engaging the spring ends of said spring rollers, the other of'said transverse members being provided with bearing apertures for journalling the other ends of said spring rollers, T couplings arranged intermediate the ends of said'transverse members, said T couplings arranged on standards by which said frame is supported, and a dust canopy resting upon and fitting over said rectangular frame.

6. A carrier for photographic backgrounds comprising a pair of transverse members connected intermediatetheir ends by a longitudinal member, a pair of vertical standards carried by said transverse members and connected near their upper. ends by a longitudinal member, a rectangular frame supported upon the upper ends or said standards, said frame comprising longitudinal rods connected at their ends by transverse members, one

of said transverse members being provided with notches for engaging the spring ends of spring rollers and the other of said transverse members being provided with bearing apertures for journallingthe other ends, of

ends of said standards, said frame. comprising longitudinal rods connected at their ends by upper transverse members, one of said upper transverse members being, provided, with notches for engaging the spring ends of' spring rollers and the other of said upper transverse members being provided with bearing apertures for journalling the other ends of said spring rollers, T couplings arranged intermediate the ends of said upper transverse members, said pipe couplings telescoping upon the upper ends of said standards, and set-screws for retaining said pipe couplings in place.

8. A carrier for photographic backgrounds including end sections each comprising a transverse base member and a vertical standard secured at right angles thereto interme' diate the ends of said base member, said end sections being provided adjacent their upper and lower ends with inwardly facing threaded sockets, means for connecting said nd sections comprising rods each having right and left hand threads at its respective ends, said rods cooperating with said sockets.

9. A carrier for photographic backgrounds including end sections each comprising a transverse base member and a vertical standard secured at right angles thereto intermediate the ends of said base member, said end sections being provided adjacent their upper and lower ends with inwardly facing threaded sockets, means for connecting said end sections comprising rods each having right and left hand threads at its respective ends, said rods cooperating with said sockets, and a rectangular frame carried by the upper ends of said end sections, said frame h ving longitudinal rods connected at their ends by upper transverse members, one of said upper transverse members being provided with slots for engaging the spring ends of spring rollers, the other of said upper transverse members being provided with hearing apertures for journalling the other ends of said spring rollers, the lon itudinal rods of said frame and the upper one of said connecting rods being adapted to support drapery, and a dust canopy covering said frame.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses,

JOSEPHINE L. MACAVOY. Witnesses FLORENCE Sonmn, F. J. FARNswoR'riI. 

